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Second Day of Thunder
The Second Day of Thunder occurred on the ninth day of the month of the Ox in the year 1128. Time of the Void, p. 101 It was on this day, as it was on the first Day of Thunder, that the Seven Thunders faced Fu Leng to defeat him and to save Rokugan. This battle ended the Clan War. Preambles Before Shinsei departed after the first Day of Thunder, he told Togashi of his reasons for leaving. Togashi understood, and promised that when Shinsei's descendants returned that he would be the first to greet them. He also promised that he would remember Shinsei's warning. When one thousand years passed and another Day of thunder approached, he was prepared to help the mortals for what they must do. Way of the Open Hand, p. 17 The Mantis Clan Before the battle, as the armies of the Great Clans and Yoritomo's Alliance were readying themselves for the coming fight, the Mantis Clan daimyo, Yoritomo, did the unthinkable. Yoritomo presented the Champions of the Great Clans with an ultimatum: either they accept his clan as an equal -- a Great Clan -- or his forces would attack the assembled armies of the clans. Yoritomo offered his head for his insolence, but assured the Champions that his commanders would carry out his orders if his demand was not met. The Champions, impressed with the valor and tenacity of Yoritomo, agreed. The Mantis were made a Great Clan, and the plans for the assault were begun. The Lion Clan After the death of Matsu Tsuko, the leaderless Lion Clan descended fully into civil war. At this point, it had been revealed that Hantei XXXIX had been possessed and was completely controlled by Fu Leng. Much of the Lion Clan realized that their Emperor had become their ancient nemesis and joined the battle against him. Others were strongly compelled by their ancient mandate to protect the Hantei, and saw this duty as binding, no matter the state of the Emperor. Ikoma Tsanuri led the forces of the Lion who remained loyal to the Emperor, and prepared to defend him no matter the cost to themselves or the empire. The opposition was led by Kitsu Motso, who believed that the Emperor had betrayed Rokugan and was no longer deserving of the Lion's fealty. The two Lion armies met on the fields of Otosan Uchi and prepared to do battle against each other, as the horde of Shadowlands creatures merely looked on. At the last moment, a third army crested the hill. The ronin of Toturi's Army had joined the plain, with Toturi at their head. With a raised katana and a cry of "For Matsu Tsuko and Rokugan!" Toturi's Army descended upon the Shadowlands horde watching the Lion armies. The Lion armies united beneath their former Champion and began the slaughter of Fu Leng's forces. Time of the Void, p. 102 Breaching the Wall The Asahina Shugenja prepared a ritual to commune with the wall's spirits, and informed them of the situation in the city. The wall buckled and opened to allow the Crane access. The Tainted defenders of the wall were crushed to the last man by the Daidoji. The Story of the Second Day of Thunder Otosan Uchi Assaulted The Two Yakamos Hida Yakamo made his way to face with Yakamo no Oni, now a perfect duplicate of himself. Though the Jade Hand had severed the tie between Yakamo and the beast, the oni had grown powerful from the Crab Lord's name. The true Yakamo failed before the inexhaustible oni, and as the oni prepared to deal the finishing blow, Mirumoto Hitomi killed the creature with the Obsidian Hand. She taunted the wounded Crab, disarmed him easily, and allowed him to live to find their fate as Thunders against Fu Leng. Time of the Void, p. 103 Glorious Deaths The Qamar was killed by magic, and the Isha stepped forward, rallying the Naga as the new Qamar. Otaku Kamoko crushed Yogo Junzo under the hooves of her horse, and Iuchi Karasu cast a spell assuring Yogo's spirit would never rejoin his body. Tetsuya sacrificed himself to unravel Kyojin, and with it the North Wall fell. The maddened Isawa Tsuke in the South Wall murdered his fellow Masters Isawa Uona and Isawa Tomo, to be killed in turn by the suicidal attack of Shiba Ujimitsu and the magic of Isawa Tadaka. Final Battle The battle outside the city won, the Seven Thunders, Togashi Yokuni, and the Hooded Ronin used Bayushi Kachiko's secret passages and entered the throne room of the Hantei, facing the avatar of Fu Leng himself. Yokuni entered the fray first, revealing himself to be the Kami Togashi, still alive and ruling the Dragon Clan for the last eleven centuries. Togashi took the form of a great dragon, and Fu Leng did the same. Though Togashi managed to wound Fu Leng, the Dark Kami bested Togashi, breaking his spine and throwing him to the floor. As Togashi lay dying, Mirumoto Hitomi ran to the Dragon Kami, plunged her arm into his chest, and pulled out his heart and the final Black Scroll. With the Obsidian Hand, Hitomi squeezed Togashi's still-beating heart, absorbing his strength. When the heart was a lifeless husk, she cast it aside and unsealed the Black Scroll. Fu Leng's laughter filled the throne room. The last bit of his soul sealed into the Black Scrolls had been released. The Dark Kami reveled in his victory. From the shadows, clapping could be heard. The Hooded Ronin -- the descendant of Shinsei -- stepped out, applauding the Dark Kami. Then he explained that with the opening of the Black Scrolls, Isawa's spell begun over a thousand years prior had been finally completed. Fu Leng's soul was bound completely to the Hantei's body. The ensuing combat was terrible, Otaku Kamoko was knocked aside with ease. Doji Hoturi and Hida Yakamo attacked, but were quickly knocked aside. Hoturi attacked again, only to find the Emperor's fist piercing his chest. As Hoturi fell, Fu Leng twisted Tadaka's jade magic to mortally wound the corrupt Master of Earth. In the end Bayushi Kachiko drew the broken shards of Ambition from her hair and ravaged the dark Emperor's face. In that moment, Toturi stroke the Emperor's head from his shoulders just as Hoturi pierced his heart. A moment later, the Dark Lord was truly dead, and Hoturi followed. Time of the Void, pp. 103-104 * Time of the Void Stronghold Stories Otosan Uchi 1128